Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-04
ENTRY NO. 1898.

Far out in the southern portion O.
the territory, near where the sinuou.
waters of Snake creek have changed
the usually undulating and gently
rolling prairie into high and precipit
GUS bluffs, there stood, in the fall Of
1877, an isolated claim shanty.
There was nothing about the exte
rior of this little shack to distinguish
it from hundreds of its kind scattered
throughout Dakota, unless it was an
.indefinable air of neatness, that seem.
ed to exude from the cottonwood
timber, of which the -shanty was con.
structed.
A close inspection would have re-
vealed suspicious white something
stretched across the only window the
cabin boasted, and this, perhaps
caused the growing sensation to riper
into feeling Of certainty that 9
woman's deft hand had been at work
and that the shack, rough and un.
calmly as it was, gave shelter to one Of
,Dakota's fair pioneers.
At least such were the impressions
received by tired, dust-begrimed
traveller, who had for some minutes
been intently viewing the surround
ings, and now suddenly emerged from
the,tall grass that encircled the claim
and walked slowly across the open
space which served as fire-break.
He was evidently a stranger to the
locality and as he drew nearer the
shack, glanced furtively around, as
though taking mental survey of the
premises. His shoes bore evidence of
long, weary tramp, and his clothes
were soiled and dusty from close con-
tact with the tall, dry grass through
which he had trudged. A dark SOM
brero helped to shade face that was
thickly coated with dust and over
which streams of perspiration had
coursed on each side with fantastic
streaks. A heavy, blonde moustache
almost concealed a small and irreso-
lutte mouth, which, with a pair. of
light blue eyes, lent somewhat wav-
ering expression to the features.
AS the man passed the solitary VIM
dow, he hesitated and stopped, then
with q nervous pull at his moustache
strobe quickly forward and raped
sharply ON the door of the cabin.
A moments delay and it was OPEN
ed, revealing the figure of woman,
who stood in the doorway, looking
almost in the intruder's eyes.
She might have been about thirty,
stood tritie above the medium height
and was dressed neatly in dark ging-
ham gown. A critic would not have
pronounced her pretty, nor even said
that her features were regular, but he
would have noted it was face full of
character, tirmness and sad sweet
ness.
AS soon as her eyes grew accus-
toned to the glare of the setting sun,
which shone full upon her face, they
rested on the tall, broad-shouldered
stranger who had SO boldly ventured
on her claim.
There was a startled recognition,
and an involuntary cry escaped her
lips, then she exclaimed sadly:
What! .you, StephenP"
YES" returned the man, quietly,
sit is l, Relief; may come IMP"
The question seemed to recall the
woman to herself, as she stood gazing
ina vague, yet wistful manner at the
applicant, who, hat in hand, stood
penitently before her, then with a
sudden resolve, as though born of
some inward struggle, she stepped
back pace and said quietly:
.'Yes, Stephen, you may"
Motioning him to the only chair the
cabin possessed, che seated herself on
a low box, which covered with cre-
tonne, served as q settee, and for some
minutes gazed intently on the bare
floor.
In silence also the man sat nel-
Vously lingering his sombrero and evi-
IDENTIFY waiting for her to speak. At
last the stiffness becoming intolerable,
he rose, crossed to where the woman
sat with head bent, and grasping her
right hand, cried:
''Oh, Reef! Reef! say that you will
try to forgive me. was bewitched,
crazeds an imbecile, but oh, Relief, my
wife! know now that / love none but
you"
''Youf wife! Stephen, how dare
youP"
She had disengaged her hand and
now sat with head erect, looking him
steadily in the face. There was moth
ing se0rnful in her gaze, nothing to
denote the outraged feelings which
this man, her husband, had so cruelty
tfampled upon, but instead, quiet,
mournful expression fingered on her
face as she continued.
Eyes, once your wife. Stephen, but
the time has gone by forever when
you could so address me and you have
forfeited all right to use the title"
"God knows ] have wronged You,
Relief, said the man earnestly, .sbut
have been punished enongh for it,
and if hard work and long life Of
watchful care devoted to you might in
9 measure atone for my'cursed folly,
there is no sacrifice would not make
II You would once more give me the